an angel and a monster
by sergeant peace
Summary: Natsu was a captain in the fiore army, until a bombing raid injured him, because of this he was relocated to Hargeon for medical treatment where he met Lucy Heartfilia, a Physical trainer who could help him with his injuries, both physical, and mental.


Lucy sat in her small office at the Hargeon Military Medical center; she was looking over the documents of her next patient who was coming back from the war with Bosco

"Hey Lucy!" Levy shouted running into the office, "how's it been?"

"It's been good Levy." She said, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, just thought I'd come talk to my best friend before my shift starts." She said, sitting on the table, "so, you're getting a new patient?"

"Yep, from what his file says, he was a captain in the Fiore Army, he had his legs and an arm blown off during a bombing raid on their position."

"Wow, how can you help him cope with that?" she asked, "he only has one arm!"

"Well they gave him Nervegear limbs, so…"

"What!" Levy shouted, making Lucy jump, "Nervegear has never been used that extensively before, maybe for an eye, or a hand, but for entire limbs to be used for Nervegear, it's just never been done!"

"I know, which is why his rehabilitation will be hard."

"Well, if anyone can do it, it's Lucky Lucy!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, 'how's Gajeel?" she asked, knowing how Levy loves to talk about her best friend.

'Oh he's good, he's still serious about going to the army though."

"What can you do, when men get an idea in their heads they go for it."

"I know," levy said, "Well, I better get going, Gajeel's meeting the recruiter today and I have to be there."

"For what? You're not his girlfriend or anything right?" Lucy asked, a twinkle in her eye.

'Um…uh…shut up Lucy!" Levy said, running out, blushing a deep red.

"Have fun." She said, she checked her watch; _he should be getting here any minute._

"Ms. Heartfilia, a Mr. Dragneel is here to see you for his 8:00 appointment." Someone said on her phone.

"Alright Laki, I'll be there in a second.' She said, standing and walking out, she straightened her coat and made sure her hair was still in place as she walked into the reception area, there were only four people, Laki, the front desk receptionist, and three who she had never seen before, one was a young girl around eighteen or nineteen, her long blue hair put into two pony tails, she had an innocent look about her, the nice simple dress she wore added to that, The other was a boy who looked fourteen or fifteen, he had on a blue beanie that had a cats face on it, his hair underneath was white, he had headphones in and his hands were in his sweater pockets.

The last one was a man around 22 or 23, not too much older then Lucy was herself, he was sitting in a wheel chair, his hair was spikey and pink, on his right shoulder he had a Tattoo that Lucy knew belonged to the Fairy Tail Battalion, his dark eyes were intense, his clothes consisted of a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top, along with a weird white scarf, another thing that made him stand out was the fact that he had metal legs that were attached halfway up his thighs, and a metal left arm that completely replaced his old arm, even parts of his shoulder and pectoral muscle, the metal looked like the muscle that should have been there.

"Mr. Dragneel." Lucy said, walking over to him, she held her hand out, "my name is Lucy Heartfilia, I'm your physical therapist."

He looked her up, then at her hand, his left arm slowly shook as he lifted it and took her hand, shaking it jerkily, his face had a pained expression on it.

"I'm glad to see you're slowly getting used to the arm." She said warmly.

"Uh yeah, it just feels weird." He said, letting his hand go back to its original place.

'I'm Wendy Marvell." The blue haired girl said warmly, holding her hand out. "I'm his cousin."

Lucy shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you." She said.

Wendy looked over at the boy at her side; she nudged him roughly, making him take his headphones out, "oh hi, I'm Happy Dragneel." He said, shaking her hand, "I'm Natsu's brother."

"It's nice to meet all of you." She said, "Now, can you follow me Mr. Dragneel?" she asked, starting to walk towards her hall.

Wendy put her hands on the wheel chair and started pushing it. "So what are you going to have me do while I'm here Doc?" Natsu asked.

"Well my job is to get you combat ready again." She said, "and we can't do that if you can't move your arms and legs."

"I can move them, it's just real jerky movement." He said.

"That's what I'm here for, the workout plans I have ready for you will help you gain more mobility with your limbs." She walked into her office and sat down, "now, lets start off with some questions so I can know you're preferences." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I like to make sure my workouts coincide with what you like to do in your spare time." She said, 'Now, what are you're hobbies?"

"Well, I used to enjoy running, I used to fish, I can still kind of play video games, oh and paintball."

"Okay, good." She said, typing something down on her tablet, "anything else?"

"I like swimming.' He said.

"And eating." Wendy said, "I swear he eats me out of hearth and home when he comes over."

Lucy laughed, "well, he won't do that here, I'm sure the cafeteria won't run out.

"There's a cafeteria here!" Natsu said excitedly.

"No way, where is it?" Happy asked, looking down the hall.

"Calm down, we'll go get something to eat after we're done talking." She said, 'Now, Natsu, on a scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt when you move you're arm."

"I would say a five," he said, "it's kind of like a dull ache."

"Mhmm, and what about your legs? How much do they hurt, on a scale of one to ten."

'Two," he said, "I just can't get them to move very well." He said.

She nodded, "alright, lets go get something to eat before we continue."

* * *

><p>Lucy watched as happy and Natsu ripped apart their food, "wow, he really was a soldier." She said.<p>

"Yeah, he eats everything before he can actually taste anything." Wendy said with a giggle.

"So how long have you been in the armed forces Natsu?" she asked.

"Oh you know, about five years." He said, "got in right after high school."

'Wow, that's impressive."

He nodded with a smirk, 'best time I've had."

"Now, are you ready for a few tests?"

"Sure," this time happy wheeled Natsu out, they went into a workout center where more injured men were working out and doing their Physical therapy.

"Okay Natsu," Lucy said, walking up to a high tech looking treadmill, "step up on the treadmill.

Natsu gripped the sides of the wheel chair and pushed himself out with a grimace, he took a hesitant step forward, it was slow and very lethargic he continued to walk slowly and climbed onto the treadmill, he let out a breath, 'okay,' he said, "what now?"

"Now I'm going to turn the treadmill on, not too fast, just enough to get you walking." She tapped a button on her tablet and the treadmill slowly started moving, Natsu took a few steps, keeping up with the pace, his left arm cradled against his chest, his right arm moved slowly with the pace.

"Turn it up a little doc, this is too slow." Natsu complained.

"We don't need you hurting yourself." She said, "I'll turn it up a little." She pressed another button on her tablet and the treadmill sped up, Natsu quickened his pace,

"Too easy," he said with a smirk, then he let out a small gasp and almost slid off the treadmill, but Lucy's quick reflexes quickly turned it off.

"Are you alright?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," he said, breathing heavily, "Just haven't moved that much in a while, turn it back on."

Lucy hesitated, but turned it back on, Natsu walked for another thirty minutes, every now and then his legs locked up, but he kept pushing forward.

"You show a lot of determination." Lucy said.

"Gotta get back to the front lines doc." He said.

"Well, if you keep going like this you might be back in action in another month." She said, "now follow me," she walked over to a rack with dumbbells, she turned and watched as Natsu walked over, his legs moving more fluidly then before, 'Now, pick up the five pound weight with your arm."

Natsu hesitated, then slowly extended his left arm, picking up the five-pound weight, it was slow going.

"Okay, now do a curl with It." she said, "three sets of five.'

a few guy's walked over, watching Natsu, the first set, he could barely do it, but by the middle of his second set, his arm moved better and faster.

"Okay, that's getting too easy, pick up the fifteen pound weight." Lucy said.

Natsu put the weight down and reached for the fifteen-pound weight, he strained to lift it up, he completed his third set with the fifteen, but only barely, "it's too heavy." He said, putting it back.

"That's alright, you did good." She said encouragingly.

Natsu rolled his left shoulder, "what's next doc?"

Lucy put her tablet down, "well, you're actually not too bad right now." She said, "You've just been too inactive."

"I had to be, the doctor who installed these damn things told me not to move too much."

"How long ago was that?" Lucy asked.

"About, two months ago.'

"Well, from now on I want you to try and walk and use your left arm whenever you can," she said, "get some feeling into them."

He nodded, 'this Nervegear is amazing." He said, "It's like I never lost my old limbs." He clenched his hand and unclenched it, "it's amazing."

""I'm glad you're adjusting." She said with a smile, "now, you can go if you want to."

He looked at Lucy "do I have to?"

"Well, we're done with testing today, tomorrow we'll be doing a more extensive work out, but until then, we're done."

"Alright." He said, Wendy started walking forward to push the wheel chair, "wait Wendy, I'll do it myself." He said, putting his hands on the wheels, slowly wheeling himself forward, "thanks Lucy, I'll see you tomorrow." He said with a grin.

Lucy nodded to him, "have a good night."

* * *

><p>Natsu watched TV, a five-pound dumbbell in his left hand, "Wendy!" Natsu shouted, "What's for dinner?"<p>

"There's money on the counter for a pizza," Wendy said, walking down from upstairs, Natsu looked over at her, she was wearing a nice white dress and her hair was out of the ponytails.

"You going on a date with that Romeo punk again?" Natsu asked.

"He's not a Punk Natsu, he's' been my boyfriend since freshman year." She said.

Natsu just grunted, flipping the channels, "where's Happy?'

"He and Carla went out, he said something about teaching her how to fish."

Natsu groaned, "He went fishing without me!"

"Calm down Natsu." She said, she walked over and gave him a hug from behind, 'I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, just leave me here to rot away in hunger!"

Wendy laughed, "You have money for a pizza!"

"…And chicken wings?"

Wendy rolled her eyes." Yes, and chicken wings, also some money for one of their cookie pizzas."

"You're the best Wendy." He said.

"You know it." Wendy said.

The door opened and a young man walked in, his long shaggy black hair reaching down to his shoulders, he had on a white wife-beater and blue jeans, old converse sneakers on his feet, his dark eyes had a twinkling of mischief, "hey Wendy, you ready to go?"

"Yes, let me just go get my purse." She said, walking upstairs.

Romeo looked at Natsu, the two had met before, but not since Romeo was a sophomore and Natsu was a sergeant in the army, "So, how you feelin' Natsu?"

"Good," Natsu said, continuing to lift the five pound weight.

"Why you only doing five pounds?"

"I'm just trying to get used to moving this arm, and doing this without a weight looks stupid."

"Right…"

"so, what are you two doing tonight?"

"Thought I'd take her to a movie, get some dinner, you know, couple stuff."

Natsu stood up, walking over to Romeo, he put his metal hand on his shoulder, squeezing hard enough to make Romeo cringe, "you hurt my cousin in anyway, I'll end you."

"y-yes sir…" Romeo said in pain.

"I'm ready!" Wendy said, walking downstairs, "what are you doing Natsu?"

"Just having a friendly discussion with Romeo." Natsu said with a smile, sitting down, "right Romeo?"

"Yeah, friendly." Romeo muttered, massaging his shoulder.

"Alright then, see you later Natsu!" Wendy said, walking out the front door with Romeo.

Natsu picked up the phone and dialed a number, "Hello, big bobs pizza joint?"

* * *

><p>Natsu paid for his pizza, carrying the two large pizzas, box of honey barbeque chicken wings, and cookie pizza to the counter, placing it there.<p>

The door and a man walked in, his black hair was past his shoulders and looked un-kept, he had a lot of piercings, and had many scars on his muscular arms, "yo Natsu." He said.

"How come no one ever knocks anymore?" Natsu asked, opening the pizza box and taking a pizza out, "how's it going Gajeel?"

"Good," he said, "Just got finished talking to the recruiter for the army, said that I can go to Boot camp in a few weeks."

"Good for you." Natsu said, "don't cry like you did when you went to summer camp."

'Screw you! I was eight!"

Natsu smiled, sitting down with a plate full of pizza.

"So, you finally walkin' around on those metal limbs huh?" Gajeel asked, jumping into the seat beside him.

"Yeah, been trying to use them more and more, this morning I couldn't even get out of the wheelchair."

"Sucks, so you meet your trainer yet?'

"Yeah, her name is Lucy Heartfilia."

"Huh…that name sounds familiar…" Gajeel said, scratching his head.

"She's a pretty good trainer." He said, "She's cute too."

"Aw little Natsu has a crush!" Gajeel said in a baby voice.

Natsu punched him with his good arm, 'shut up! What about you and that girl Levy huh?"

"T-that's different!"

"You've still been skirting around asking her out." Natsu said, "You haven't even brought it up.

"N-no! But I can't." he said, looking away, "I-I'm about to go to the army, and I need to focus on that!"

Natsu looked ahead, "that didn't matter to me and Lisanna." He said, 'we went for it."

Gajeel looked at his cousin in shock, this was the first time Natsu brought up Lisanna on his own since her death.

"We met in boot camp, and instead of skirting around each other, we went for it." he looked at Gajeel, "because we didn't know how long we were going to have, go for it man, before it's too late."

"Uh…I…yeah I'll do it, thanks cuz." Gajeel said, "that…that means a lot…"

"Eh don't start crying." Natsu said, standing up with his empty plate.

"Wha- I'M NOT CRYING!"

* * *

><p>Lucy walked down the street, her hands in her coat pockets to protect them from the cold.<p>

"Hey Lucy!" Levy said, running over to her, "how's it going?"

"Great." Lucy said with a smile, "how'd it go with Gajeel and that recruiter?"

Levy's smile disappeared, "um…he's going through with it." she mumbled, "H-he'll be leaving in two weeks."

'I'm sorry." Lucy said.

"B-but it's okay, he's strong, and he'll make it through." Levy said, forcing a smile.

Lucy smiled, "have you told him how you really feel?"

Levy blushed, "w-what do you mean? He's a friend."

Lucy shook her head, "you know he's more than that."

"How do you know?" Levy asked.

"the way your face lights up when you talk about him, how you're always hanging out with him. You even canceled a date to help him work out, I'd be blind not to see it."

Levy sighed, "Just because I like him doesn't mean he likes me too." She said, "I-I don't want to mess up our friendship."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "come on Levy!" she said, 'he's about to leave to Boot camp, after that he might be sent to Bosco, you need to tell him before he leaves."

Levy thought about it, her phone ringing shook her out of her thoughts, "Hello?" she asked, "Gajeel! Uh, hey, what do ya need…uh-huh…um…yeah I can go by…oh you're at your cousin's house, yeah I'll see you there…" she hung up and looked at Lucy, "he wants to talk to me…"

"That's good." Lucy said with a smile.

"Yeah, but it's at his cousin's house..." she said nervously, "I-if I go there I won't be able to tell him how I really feel with his cousin standing right there!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, 'how about I go with you? I'll distract his cousin while you talk to Gajeel."

"You would do that for me Lucy? Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, hurry up," Lucy said, "I want to get home so I can watch Friends on Netflix."


End file.
